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For Companies At a Glance
- Tasks: Conduct impactful research and shape customer policy in the water sector.
- Company: Join Ofwat, a key player in regulating water services in England and Wales.
- Benefits: Enjoy flexible working, generous leave, and professional development opportunities.
- Why this job: Make a real difference in customer experiences and environmental outcomes.
- Qualifications: Experience in social research and strong analytical skills required.
- Other info: Collaborative culture with a focus on innovation and work-life balance.
The predicted salary is between 28800 - 48000 £ per year.
Join Ofwat’s Casework Enforcement and Customers Directorate as a Senior Researcher.
About Us
We are Ofwat, the Water Services Regulation Authority, a non‑ministerial government department responsible for regulating the water sector in England and Wales. Our mission remains to hold water companies to account, drive performance, and ensure the sector delivers real value for customers, communities, and the environment.
The Role
This job will sit in the Customer Policy & Insights team, which is part of the Casework, Enforcement and Customer Directorate. The team brings together customer research and policy. In this role, your time will be split around 50:50 between research and policy. You will report directly to Ofwat’s Head of Customer Insight, while working closely with an equivalent policy Principal. This role will work on projects and issues across the customer team, including affordability, vulnerability, customer experience, and customer views and preferences.
About You
- Lead Criterion: Proven experience in developing and delivering social research projects from start to finish, using a range of qualitative and quantitative methods.
- Understanding of policy issues in relation to customers, including issues such as customer support, vulnerability, affordability.
- Strong understanding of research methodologies and their application.
- Strong analytical skills and ability to draw out key insights from research findings or policy consultations.
- Strong written and oral communication skills, including the ability to confidently explain findings to technical and non-technical audiences.
- Experience of working with a range of stakeholders and contractors and the ability to build relationships and collaborate effectively.
- Excellent planning, time management and project management skills.
Why You Should Join Us
- People Centric: Our people are at the heart of Ofwat and everything we do.
- Innovative Work Environment: We embrace agile and new ways of working.
- Development Opportunities: Gain valuable experience and develop your skills in a supportive and dynamic setting.
- Work-Life Balance: Enjoy the flexibility of working from home combined with the benefits of in-person collaboration.
- Good employer pension contributions.
- 25 days’ annual leave, increasing to 30 with each year of service, plus bank holidays and an extra 2.5 days of privilege leave.
- Access to exclusive discounts on a variety of goods and services.
- Fees paid for membership of relevant professional bodies.
- Up to 3 volunteering days per year.
- Generous shared parental leave and pay supporting your family life.
Follow the link to apply for full details about the role. Please ensure you have submitted your application in full before the below deadline. Closing date: 23.55 on 14 December 2025.
Senior Researcher, Customer Policy and Insights employer: Ofwat
Contact Detail:
Ofwat Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Senior Researcher, Customer Policy and Insights
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to current or former employees at Ofwat on LinkedIn. A friendly chat can give you insider info about the company culture and the role, plus it shows your genuine interest.
✨Tip Number 2
Prepare for the interview by diving deep into Ofwat's recent projects and initiatives. Knowing their current focus areas will help you tailor your responses and demonstrate how your skills align with their mission.
✨Tip Number 3
Practice your storytelling skills! Be ready to share specific examples of your research projects and how they’ve made an impact. This will help you stand out and show that you can bring real value to the team.
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to follow up after your interview! A quick thank-you email reiterating your enthusiasm for the role can leave a lasting impression and keep you top of mind for the hiring team.
We think you need these skills to ace Senior Researcher, Customer Policy and Insights
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your Application: Make sure to customise your CV and cover letter for the Senior Researcher role. Highlight your experience in social research and policy issues, as this will show us you understand what we're looking for.
Showcase Your Skills: Don’t just list your skills; demonstrate them! Use specific examples from your past work that showcase your analytical abilities and how you've successfully communicated findings to different audiences.
Be Clear and Concise: When writing your application, keep it clear and to the point. We appreciate well-structured responses that get straight to the heart of your experience and insights without unnecessary fluff.
Apply Through Our Website: We encourage you to apply directly through our website. This ensures your application is received properly and gives you access to all the details about the role and our organisation.
How to prepare for a job interview at Ofwat
✨Know Your Research Methods
Make sure you brush up on both qualitative and quantitative research methods. Be ready to discuss how you've applied these in past projects, as this role heavily relies on your ability to develop and deliver social research from start to finish.
✨Understand Customer Policy Issues
Familiarise yourself with key customer policy issues like affordability and vulnerability. Being able to articulate your understanding of these topics will show that you're not just a researcher but someone who can connect insights to real-world implications.
✨Communicate Clearly
Practice explaining complex findings in simple terms. You’ll need to convey insights to both technical and non-technical audiences, so think about examples where you've successfully done this before.
✨Build Relationships
Prepare to discuss your experience working with various stakeholders. Highlight instances where you've collaborated effectively, as building relationships is crucial for success in this role.
